The Dawn of War
by Divine Archetype
Summary: *FINISHED!* Green Earth is attack by mysterious forces, and Eagle begins his hunt for Andy. (Please R&R!)
1. Ambush

As dawn broke over Northern Green Earth, the five helicopters of Beta Unit began their daily recon.  
  
The helicopters had a peculiar shape. Instead of a single cockpit for two pilots, there were two small cockpits. One was situated at the front of the helicopter; the other was above and behind it.  
  
Beta One scanned the horizon. "Beta One to Central Command. All clear."  
  
"Roger that, Beta One. Recommend you check the mountain range at two o'clock."  
  
The pilot of Beta One sighed. He heard his gunner mumbling to himself. "Recommend you blah blah blah. We know what we're doing."  
  
Beta One angled toward the mountains and the forest on the other side. It was doubtful that anyone was there, but protocol demanded he checked the entire area. His unit followed in perfect unison.  
  
Beta One flew over the mountains and the forest on the other side. Everything seemed ok. Suddenly the radio came to life.  
  
"Beta One, this is Beta Four. I'm seeing a group of vehicles on the road ahead."  
  
Beta One's pilot squinted and could make out a small vehicle on the road. He heard his gunner powering up missile systems.  
  
"Beta One, this is Beta Three. It looks like an APC."  
  
Beta One's pilot looked harder. It sure did.  
  
"Beta One, this is Beta Two. I have a missile lock on me!"  
  
"Beta One, Beta Five. I'm reading the same thing. But I can't tell where it's coming fro-"  
  
The sky behind Beta One lit up, and Beta Two and Beta Five disappeared from Beta One's radar. Beta One's gunner fired on the APC.  
  
Suddenly Beta One's missile lock alarm went off. The pilot began evasive maneuvers, but the missile hit the underbelly of Beta One and it erupted in a ball of flame.  
  
  
  
Green Earth Central Command was bursting with activity. Main screens powered up as radar transmissions from Beta Four, the only helicopter remaining, came in. Officers radioed bases to see what units could respond to the attack. Beta Four came over the main radio.  
  
"I need backup! Now!"  
  
The communications officer put his headset on. "Beta Four, this is Central Command. Can you identify the forces?"  
  
"They appear to be Orange Star-" Static hissed in the officer's headset.  
  
The control room doors slammed open and an extremely annoyed Eagle barged in. "Status?"  
  
The senior radar officer looked up. "Beta Unit Three was ambushed during their routine recon."  
  
Eagle walked up behind the junior radar officer and looked at his consul. "Any idea who it is?"  
  
The senior officer paused. "Orange Star."  
  
Eagle gave the officer a look that suggested he was crazy. "You're serious?"  
  
The communications officer stood up. "Radio encoding is definitely Orange Star."  
  
Eagle stared at the main screen. Nell didn't have the guts to do this. "Have Delta Base send out Delta Units One and Two."  
  
The communications officer shifted uncomfortably. "Delta Base is not responding."  
  
Eagle slammed his fists on the nearest console. "WHAT?!?" The communications officer jumped. His response was a little bit shaky. "We lost contact with Delta Base a few seconds after Beta Unit was ambushed."  
  
Eagle gave the officer a hard stare. "We lost an entire base without warning? Are you guys asleep or something?"  
  
The senior intelligence officer stood up. "Sir, Alpha Units Two and Three report heavy anti-air fire. Four jets out of commission already."  
  
Eagle's jaw dropped. Alpha Unit's Two and Three were some of his best fighter units. They were also stationed two thousand miles away from were Beta Unit had been ambushed. "How'd that happen?"  
  
"The were responding to a spotting of bombers by Epsilon Unit Three. Here -"  
  
The officer pulled up a map of Green Earth on the main screen. Two dots blinked red - the spots were Beta unit and Alpha Units Two and Three had been ambushed. A new dot blinked three hundred miles east of where Beta unit had been ambushed.  
  
Eagle stared at the screen. Three separate groups of Orange Star forces along the northern border. Enough missile units to suggest that this attack had taken a while to set up. Orange Star would have had to cross Blue Moon territory to get to his northern border. How did they manage to sneak up on him"  
  
The senior intelligence officer cut through his thoughts. "Sir, Alpha Two Four request a direct communication with you."  
  
Eagle walked over and took the headset from the officer's outstretched hand. "Eagle here."  
  
"Sir, this is pilot Brandon of Alpha Two." Eagle remembered him. He was the one with the nervous twitch in his left hand. Eagle had spent weeks helping the pilot overcome his twitch so that he could be certified to fly.  
  
"This is Eagle. Go ahead."  
  
"Sir, Alpha Unit Three has been completely destroyed, and I am the only pilot remaining from Alpha Unit Two."  
  
Eagle felt his throat tighten. He had personally taught every single one of those pilots how to fly. He had done more than that; he had helped them overcome their difficulties and become some of the best fighter pilots in Green Earth and all of Cosmo Land.  
  
"I managed to escape the missile units and can see the bomber up ahead. It appears to be heading toward one of our airfields. Unfortunately, my missile system was damaged by shrapnel so I won't be able to shoot it down."  
  
Eagle looked over at the communications officer, who was already radioing airbases. He looked up. "Gelstop Airbase reports visual confirmation of a bomber. Estimated arrival time is four minutes.  
  
Eagle swore. "Order Omega Units One and Two to get of the ground."  
  
"They can't, sir. Omega Unit Two is having a routine maintenance check-up, and Omega Unit One is in the middle of having their fuel tanks replaced."  
  
Eagle clenched his fists. "Who ordered that?"  
  
The communications officer winced. "You did, sir. They were factory built with normal tanks, but last week you ordered larger tanks so that they could make longer bombing runs."  
  
Eagle slammed his fist into the intelligence console. Ten of his best bombers were going to be caught sitting in their hanger and there was nothing he could do. 


	2. Destruction

Brandon waited for Commander Eagle to give him orders as he cruised toward the bomber. Without his missile systems working it was impossible to take it down.  
  
Brandon stared at his control panel. Once again, he felt so useless. Just like in Academy training when they had done group missions.  
  
You're not useless.  
  
Brandon's head snapped up. That was what Eagle had told him after he had revealed his feelings to the commander. Memories flooded into Brandon's brain.  
  
  
  
"But I'm not any good at this. Especially with my twitch."  
  
Eagle sat on the wing of the cockpit simulator. "Nonsense. You're just not trying hard enough."  
  
"No offense, sir, but please don't let this be an 'it's all in your head' speech."  
  
Eagle smiled. "Of course not. What I'm trying to tell you is to think this: 'The other pilots are trying their best to help me, so I should do the same for them.'"  
  
"But I have been doing my best."  
  
Eagle shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. Your scores on the individual missions almost qualify you for assignment to Alpha Unit One. You're just not applying your skills with a group. Do you know why?"  
  
Brandon thought about it for a moment. "No sir, I don't."  
  
"You're too scared to let others see you fail. And then you do fail. So then you feel even worse, and you continue this downward spiral until you hit rock bottom. Unfortunately for you, this is an 'it's all in your head' speech. So get over it."  
  
Eagle rose to leave. "Remember this: There is always something you can do."  
  
  
  
Brandon saw the bomber growing larger as he approached it. There is always something you can do. But what could he do?  
  
Suddenly his engines exploded, and Brandon was pushed forward by the shockwave slamming his rib cage into the control stick. A quick radar check showed anti-air batteries in the trees below. Brandon swore.  
  
He looked up and saw the bomber. As pieces of his fighter began to fall off, Brandon sat back in his seat, grabbed the control stick and moved it front to back. The jet sluggishly responded. Good, the vertical rudders were still working.  
  
Brandon stared at the bomber and pulled up on his control stick straining to bring the jet into line. If he was going to go down, he might as well do something.  
  
The jet slammed into the bomber's engines. The bombs intended for Gelstop Airbase fueled the explosion created by the collision.  
  
  
  
Alpha Two Four winked out on the radar display. Eagle shook his head. Brandon had made a helpful sacrifice, but losing a pilot was never easy.  
  
The senior radar officer spoke up. "We're losing contact with Mu Unit Four. Three Medium tanks gone already. The remaining two report rocket units here." A fourth dot lit up on the main radar display.  
  
Eagle closed his eyes. "Order Nu Units Three and Four to take care of the rocket units. Try to get Omega Unit Two in the air ASAP."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The communications officer stood up with a confused look on his face. "Sir, I'm receiving an urgent communications request for you."  
  
Eagle looked at the officer. "Another attack?"  
  
The officer shook his head. "No sir. Transmission strength and quality suggest a transmission from Orange Star Central Command. The encoding appears to be a new version of Orange Star's latest communiques."  
  
Eagle frowned. The Orange Star CO sure had guts. "What kind of transmission is it?"  
  
"Visual."  
  
Eagle straightened his back and crossed his arms. "Put it on the main screen."  
  
The communications officer spoke into his headset then pressed a button on his console. The radar display faded out on the main screen and was replaced by-  
  
-a kid?  
  
Eagle slammed his fists into the console in front of him. "Who are you? What kind of stupid joke is this?"  
  
The kid ran a hand through his brown hair and grinned. "I'm Andy, the newest and best CO in the Orange Star Army."  
  
Eagle scowled. "Don't play with me, boy. Let me speak to Nell."  
  
"Nell's busy at the moment. Say, I was wondering, where do you think the best vacation spot in Green Earth is? After I take your country over, I think I'll go on a vacation - but not because it was hard work taking Green Earth over. I just think a victory break would be in order-"  
  
"Go to hell, you spiky haired little punk!"  
  
Andy shook his finger. "Temper, temper!"  
  
Eagle felt his face heat up. "You've got some nerve! Violating the treaty! I-"  
  
Andy waved his hand. "Oh, shut up."  
  
Eagle clenched his fists. "After this is over, I'm going to hunt you down myself."  
  
Andy gave a superior smile. "After I'm done with your forces, you won't have anything left to hunt me down with. In fact, I believe Alpha Unit One will be leaving you shortly."  
  
Eagle felt a chill run up his spine. He turned to the communications officer. "Get me Alpha Unit One." The officer nodded.  
  
"You can't do anything to save them now." Andy gave Eagle an evil grin.  
  
Eagle glanced at the screen and muttered under his breath. "Just watch me."  
  
Eagle heard a small pop in his headset and then jet engines in the background. "Alpha One One, come in. This is Eagle."  
  
"Eagle, this is Alpha One One. What seems to be the problem?"  
  
Eagle grimaced. That was Brun, always being formal. "Brun, kill the formalities. Alpha Unit One is heading into an ambush. You need to deviate from your present course."  
  
"Are you sure? We're flying over some plains right now, and there's nothing around for miles."  
  
Eagle looked at the main screen. Could the kid be lying?  
  
Andy smiled and answered Eagle's unspoken question. "No, I assure you I am not lying." He turned and spoke to someone outside the screen's view.  
  
Eagle turned away from the screen. "Brun, get out of there now!"  
  
"Eagle, calm down. Everything is fine."  
  
Eagle wiped his forehead. "No! Trust me!" Eagle sensed officers staring at him. He paused. "Katrina!"  
  
A female voice came over his headset. "Yes Command, this is Alpha One Two."  
  
"Just listen to me! Get back to base!"  
  
There was a pause. "I think Brun is right."  
  
Eagle slammed his fist into the console. "Damn it, Brun! I order you to return to base!"  
  
"Alpha One Four! I have a missile lock on me!"  
  
Eagle felt his gut go cold. Peter. "Evasive now!"  
  
"It's too fast! I ca-" Static.  
  
Alpha One Three and Alpha One Five came on the radio at the same time. "Where's it coming from?" "I can't se-"  
  
More static.  
  
Brun came over the radio. "I'm sorry Eagle. I guess I-"  
  
Eagle felt dizzy. "Katrina!"  
  
Eagle heard a sob. "I'm so sorry. I-"  
  
Static.  
  
"I told you."  
  
Eagle closed his eyes. Andy.  
  
"You're just a sad excuse for a CO."  
  
Eagle felt his arms shaking. Damn him.  
  
"Now that I've taken out your best fighters, you have nothing left. No army, no friends."  
  
Eagle felt the rage building.  
  
"No lover."  
  
Eagle snapped. He yanked the chair out from under the surprised communications officer and spun around. Other officers dove for cover as he hurled the chair at the screen. "DAMN YOU!"  
  
The chair bounced off the screen. Andy started laughing. Laughing.  
  
Eagle pulled out his service pistol. "DAMN YOU!" 


	3. Mysterious Forces

As the screen in front of him faded to black, Andy clone sat back in his seat and smiled. Eagle was easy to manipulate. Just pull a couple strings and you'd have him dancing like a puppet.  
  
He turned to the officer sitting beside him. "Begin pulling our forces out but make it look like a retreat."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Andy clone liked that. He leaned back in his seat. He could get used to being a CO.  
  
The attack had gone well, but that stunt the dying fighter pilot had pulled was a setback. Andy clone shrugged. Oh well. Orange Star and Green Earth would be tearing each other apart soon.  
  
Andy clone heard the command room door open and close. Heavy footsteps thumped across the metal floor, and the officer next to Andy clone gulped nervously. A metal hand settled on Andy clone's chair back. "Is everything going according to plan?"  
  
Andy clone turned to face the dark and towering figure. "Our forces are beginning to withdraw now."  
  
"Excellent. Were there any mistakes?"  
  
Andy clone paused. "Gelstop Airbase wasn't bombed due to a fighter from Alpha Unit Two that escaped the ambush."  
  
There was a long pause. "I see." The figure turned to the officer next to Andy clone. "Get me Venom Unit Three."  
  
Andy clone saw a bead of sweat roll down the officer's forehead. He punched a few buttons on his console. "Come in Venom Units Three. This is Forward Command."  
  
A short pause. "This is Venom Unit Three."  
  
Sturm leaned over next to the officer. "Venom Unit Three, why did you fail to completely destroy Alpha Units Two and Three?"  
  
"Sir-" The man's voice was shaky. "He was too fast to get a lock."  
  
"Do you believe that I will accept that pathetic excuse?"  
  
"No sir, but-"  
  
"You displease me. I cannot allow such incompetence to exist in my forces."  
  
"Please, sir-" The man's voice was laced with panic. "I can do better next time!"  
  
"For you, there is no next time."  
  
"Please, no!"  
  
Sturm stood up and his eyes dimmed. Suddenly the room began to shake. Consoles sparked as energy from the room was gathered into one spot. Sturm appeared to grow, and his presence filled up the entire room.  
  
Suddenly screams came over the radio and then static. Something snapped and Andy clone felt as if he'd woken from a dream. The room had stopped shaking and everything was back to normal. The officer next to Andy clone was visibly shaking.  
  
Andy clone shook his head. A whole missile unit sacrificed. Why?  
  
A gauntleted hand fell on Andy clone's shoulder and a chill danced down his spine. Sturm's voiced seemed to come from inside his head. "Fear."  
  
Then Sturm turned and walked away, cape billowing in his wake. Officers rigidly saluted him with wide eyes and the door hissed shut behind him.  
  
  
  
THE END | | |  
  
Bottom of Form 1 


End file.
